


In the Shadow of Greatness

by kickcows



Series: XVtober 2020 [29]
Category: Final Fantasy XV
Genre: Angst and Feels, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Angst, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-29
Updated: 2020-10-29
Packaged: 2021-03-08 22:34:52
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,420
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27264340
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kickcows/pseuds/kickcows
Summary: The Royal family is throwing a party, and Gladio finds the Prince sulking alone. The two share more in common than either of them know - they both live in the shadow of their powerful fathers.
Relationships: Gladiolus Amicitia/Noctis Lucis Caelum
Series: XVtober 2020 [29]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1948429
Kudos: 19





	In the Shadow of Greatness

**Author's Note:**

> Here's my next offering for XVtober! :) Please enjoy!
> 
> Prompt: Shadow

* * *

Gladio sees Noctis standing off to the side, looking about as miserable as he felt himself. They were both being forced to be at this party that was meant for adults, and although Gladio had just turned twenty-one, he still doesn’t feel like an adult. And Noctis sure isn’t one, and looks sorely out of place at the moment. As fireworks start to go off, he walks over to the aquarium tank that’s on the roof of the hotel Caelum Via near the Citadel. It’s standard for the royal family to hold their celebrations here, this one being no different than any of the others held before. 

Walking up behind Noctis, he gives a gentle tap on his shoulder then ducks out of the way so that Noctis doesn’t see him, then laughs when he turns to find who’d just touched him. The pout that crosses his face at his laughter makes him laugh a little longer, Gladio shaking his head as he puts his hand on Noctis’ shoulder. “What’s got you in such a sour mood, Princess?” 

“Why do you always call me that?” Noctis pushes his hand off of his shoulder, an annoyed look on his face. “You know my name. Why can’t you use it?” 

“Why are you in such a bad mood, Gods.” He doesn’t really want to deal with Noctis if he’s going to be like this. It’s bad enough that the two of them have been spending more time together, Noctis’ combat training stepping up. “You know what? Forget it. Stay here and sulk all night.” Gladio really doesn’t have the patience to deal with a moody Prince tonight, and starts to walk away. 

A hand touches his arm, his stride coming to a forced stop as he turns to look at Noctis. “I’m sorry.” Noctis shakes his head, then drops his hand from his arm. Gladio tries to ignore the way his arm seems to tingle where his hand had been touching, but it’s difficult. “I don’t mean to be a dick. I’m just….dealing with a lot.” 

“That’s not an excuse to be rude to me.” Gladio knows that Noctis has to go through a lot, but he’s always tried to be someone he can lean on, not push back at. “I was coming to say hi, maybe even rescue you from this boring event - but because you can’t control your moods, I think I’m going to go and grab a drink.” 

The pout returns to the Prince’s face. “Fine. Do whatever. I don’t care.” 

“I think you do.” 

“Just go and get you drink.” 

He decides it would be better for the both of them if he leaves now before he says something he’ll regret later on. Turning back around, he heads over to the nearby bar, and orders a rum and cola, something that’s easy to sip and not pound. He turns back towards where the Prince had been and sees that he’s gone. _Fine - be that way_. Taking a long sip, he looks around to see if there’s someone that he recognizes milling about. All of these state parties are always the bane of his existence - he knows one day that Noctis is going to have to throw the same parties, and he will be required to be by his side, much like how his father is beside Regis currently. It’s not something he’s really looking forward to, as he already hates these events with a passion. 

As he wanders around the rooftop, he feels his pocket vibrate. Pulling his phone out, he sees a text from the person he’d just distanced himself from. “ _I’m on the other side of the roof. Come meet me?_ ” 

“ _Why should I? You’re being a brat_.” He doesn’t hold back his opinion on Noctis’ attitude, hoping it’ll make him see that he doesn’t get to behave that way towards him. 

Three dots appear on his screen. “ _I have a reason. If you’ll listen to me, I promise I will drop the attitude_.” 

“ _If you don’t - then I’m going to leave you, and I won’t look back_.” 

“ _We both know you can’t do that_.” 

Picking up his drink, he starts to walk. He leaves the message open, hoping to make the Prince think he’s still typing a message to him. He spots him off in the corner, no one around him. He’s sitting on the ledge, his feet dangling over the side of the building. Had it been anyone else, and he would be panicking. But with Noctis’ gifts, he knows he’s in no danger of falling to his death. He puts his phone away, and then starts to talk. “I can do whatever I want, whenever I want. I don’t give a _fuck_ if I’m supposed to keep you safe as your Shield.” 

“Hello to you too.” Noctis looks up at him, but this time there’s a smile on his face and it brings a pleasant warmth to Gladio’s chest. “Care to sit with me?” 

“And fall to my death? How about no.” He looks over at a bench near the ledge. “Can’t we go sit over there? Please?” 

The Prince of Lucis huffs out a sigh. “I guess.” He waits for Noctis to stand up before he walks over to the bench and sits down. “Will you listen to what I have to say to you?” 

“When you put it like that, I’m afraid I don’t know what I’m supposed to say.” Gladio sees more fireworks going off, the rooftop now illuminated in bright red light, making the Prince look almost ethereal. “Tell me what’s on your mind, Your Highness.” He drops his nickname for Noctis for the moment, wanting him to be more at ease with him right now. 

Noctis looks up at the sky, another firework exploding, this time casting a green and gold light over the rooftop. “I don’t want to do this when I’m King.” 

“I’m afraid that it’s always been done this way.” He shakes his head, but Noctis is still gazing up at the sky. “Your father does this, his father did this before him, and on and on.” 

“These parties are stupid. No one cares that I’m here. No one cares that you’re here.” Noctis crosses his arms over his chest, the pout returning to his face. 

That comment makes him irritated. “Excuse me, but you don’t know that. Oh, I know what this is about. You’re bitter because Ignis isn’t here, is that it?” He should have put two and two together. “You’re upset because I’m the only person you can talk to tonight, since Prompto wasn’t invited to this function.” 

Noctis doesn’t bother to deny his statements, which makes Gladio feel mildly upset. “No, I think I would be feeling the same right now if they were here. This isn’t about them, Gladio. It’s about me. It’s about all of this.” 

“Talk to me.” He tries to keep the begging out of his voice, but he can hear just a slight twang of it coloring his words. Noctis finally looks over at him, and the sadness he sees in his eyes makes his heart hurt. “What’s going on right now?” 

“I don’t want to do any of this.” Noctis keeps looking at him, looking far older than he should. “These parties - they’re stupid. When I’m the King, people are going to be upset that I don’t do the same things my father did, and that makes me angry.” 

“So take it out on me? That’s fair.” Gladio comments, trying to lighten the mood but then he realizes that maybe his words have come out a little bit more harsh than he intended them to. “Sorry, Noct. I didn’t mean that in a bad way.” 

The Prince shakes his head. “No, it’s alright. I deserved that, as I’ve been a dick to you all night. I’m sorry.” 

“You don’t have to keep apologizing.” 

He sees him nod his head, then returns his eyes to the sky as more fireworks are beginning to explode. “I don’t want people to think I’m a bad leader because I do things differently than my father. Aren’t you worried that you’re going to be judged on how your own father acts? How his relationship with my father is, compared to how ours is?” 

“People are always going to judge, but they’re never going to know the truth.” Hearing Noctis voice some of his own internal fears makes him feel mildly better, as he’d been worried he was a bad person for thinking this way. “What we do, and what our fathers do - that doesn’t make us any less of a leader than them.” 

“But you’re worried, aren’t you?” 

“Of course I am.” Gladio looks up at the sky, suddenly feeling a mild bout of anxiety as this conversation continues on. “I’m scared that I’m going to fuck everything up for you. I’m afraid that my father being so close to the King is going to be thrown into my face for the rest of my life. ‘Why aren’t you and Noctis as close as your father and the King are?’” He sighs. “It’s not fair, living in their shadows.” 

“It’s really not.” 

The silence extends between the two of them, the music coming from the other side of the roof filters its way over to where they are sitting. Gladio turns to look over at Noctis, and he sees that he’s crying. He puts his arm around his shoulder, and then feels him push his face against his chest, his arm dropping down a little further as he holds him in a half hug. “It’s going to be alright, Your Highness.” Gladio speaks low, his hand holding Noctis with a little more strength than necessary. 

“You can’t know that, Gladio.” Looking down, he sees Noctis staring up at him, a look of pleading in his eyes. “I don’t want to be an awful King. I don’t want people to resent me because I’m not my father.” 

He puts his hand on his face, and stares right back into his eyes. “They will _never_ resent you, Noctis. You are going to be the best King, and I promise I’m going to be right there with you every step of the way. As will Ignis, and I’m sure Prompto will be there too.” 

“It’s exhausting, isn’t it?” His thumb brushes against Noctis’ cheek, as he feels the weight of his head rest against his palm. “I’m tired, Gladio.” 

“Do you wish to go to bed?” 

“Forever?” 

“Not funny, Your Highness.” He does smirk at the comment though, and sees Noctis grin. “We don’t have to stay here. No one will care if we leave. Your father hasn’t sought you out, has he?” 

“No, but he saw me earlier, so that’s good enough.” Noctis pulls away from his hand, Gladio feeling a fleeting sensation fill his chest as he isn’t really ready to say goodnight to him. “Take me back to my apartment? Please?” 

Gladio stands up, and helps Noctis to stand. “I’d be honored to, Your Highness.” 

They sneak out of the party, no one paying them any mind as they head to the valet, where Gladio gets his car. The drive to Noctis’ apartment is quick, and Gladio isn’t sure if he’s dropping him off, or if he should park his car. Deciding it would be better for his sanity if he walked the Prince upstairs, he heads down to the garage and parks his car in one of the visitor spots. 

“Want to come and hang for a bit?” Noctis asks, as they step off the elevator and walk over to his apartment. “Or do you have to get back to the party?” 

He shakes his head. “No, I don’t have to go back. Like you, my father saw me. That’s all I cared about. I _hate_ these parties, so if you never held one when you’re King, I would not complain.” 

“Good.” The sound of the Prince laughing brings that warmth back to his chest, Gladio smiling in return. “Let’s put on a bad movie?” 

“Sounds good, Princess.” Noctis flashes him a smile, Gladio feeling good that the nickname is accepted again. 

They get settled on the couch, a blanket thrown over them as Noctis chooses a very terrible movie. He puts his arm around him, and feels him press up against his side, making it difficult for him to concentrate on the movie. But he doesn’t care - just knowing that Noctis seems to be doing better now that they were away from the party, that is all that matters to him. At the end of the movie, he looks down at Noctis and sees that he has fallen asleep. 

Chuckling softly, he carefully picks Noctis up and carries him to his bedroom, managing to dodge some of the items on his bedroom floor. As he lays him down, Gladio brushes his lips against his forehead. “I will always be by your side, Noctis. We may have big shoes to fill, but we’ll be better than our fathers.” 

“Stay.” Noctis whispers, as he reaches for Gladio’s shoulders. “Don’t go…” 

“You sure…?” 

“Positive.” 

He can’t say no to him, so he crawls under the covers after stripping out of his suit, keeping his back turned as Noctis does the same. They lay under the covers together, both in their undershirts and underwear. Gladio feels unbelievably warm, wondering if this is going to turn into something unexpected. But as soon as they get settled, he hears Noctis start to snore, which makes him chuckle again. 

“It’s a good thing I’m sworn to protect you, because if I wasn’t, I’d say you’re a lousy jerk.” He teases the slumbering Prince, as he presses a soft kiss to the corner of his lips. “I love you. We’ll be okay, I promise.” 

Noctis doesn’t reply, not that he expects him to. He knows that it’s going to be a difficult road for them - it always is when your fathers are both men that are looked up to in the Lucian kingdom. But he knows that one day, they will be on par with them, if not better. They are going to rule the country with a compassion that isn’t there because Noctis is a compassionate person. And he’s going to make sure that they stick together not because it’s his duty, but because this is what he wants. To serve and protect Noctis in a way that only a proper Shield can do. 


End file.
